A few days later, news of Talia and Henric's departure with a group of knights had come early that morning. The poor commanders didn't even have time to rest. Cordelia, however, was kept behind until further notice. Having heard of Daniel finally opening his eyes, Cordelia went straight to the infirmary. She pushed open the doors, the antiseptic scent clinging to the air. Unlike the bustling healers' quarters in the inner temple, this infirmary was quieter. A handful of students lay in beds, sleeping peacefully.

Daniel sat propped up in his bed, his upper body bare and his left shoulder heavily bandaged. While the telltale gray around his eyes hadn't completely vanished, there was a definite improvement in his color. His face lit up with a genuine smile as he spotted her.

Cordelia pulled up a chair and settled beside him. "Hey," she greeted softly.

"Hi, Ser Cordelia," Daniel replied, a playful glint in his eyes. "Ser Daniel wishes you well."

Cordelia chuckled. "I see you've heard the news. I wanted to tell you myself."

"Henric stopped by before they left," Daniel explained, gesturing vaguely. "Filled me in on everything. Those healers, though – they also love to chat. One even commented on my hands, thinking I was asleep. Do you think I have ugly hands?" He extended his bandaged hand for her inspection.

Cordelia fought back a smile. "What? No, of course not. They look perfectly normal. Well, maybe your left thumb is a bit…"

Daniel gasped dramatically, placing a hand on his chest. "Cordelia! You think the same as them?"

Panic flickered across Cordelia's face. "No, no! I don't! I—"

Daniel burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the quiet room. Cordelia swatted him playfully on his uninjured shoulder, a hint of frustration coloring her cheeks.

"You're an arse," she muttered, crossing her arms playfully.

Daniel chuckled, his smile fading slightly. "There, there. I was just joking.

A comfortable silence settled between them, punctuated only by the distant sounds of students shuffling through the halls. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow over the room. A few dust motes danced in the light, highlighting the sun beams.

Daniel sighed and turned his gaze towards the window. "So," he said thoughtfully. "We became Dragon Knights, huh? Strange."

Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Daniel shrugged. "I don’t know. I always thought I'd suddenly grow muscles and become a few inches taller. Instead, I'm lying in bed, feeling no different."

Cordelia nodded, a hint of sadness crossing her features. "I know exactly what you mean. Things seem mightier when they're out of reach."

Daniel shifted restlessly on his bed, the white sheets rustling against his bandaged form. "Yeah," he mumbled, his voice quieter than usual. "And when you finally reach them, you realize you're the same. But others start seeing you the way you saw those before you, and the cycle continues."

Cordelia smiled bitterly, her gaze drifting to the cabinet near Daniel’s bed.

Suddenly, Daniel spoke, his voice sharper than usual, breaking the contemplative silence. "You know what?" he blurted, his gaze turning away from hers. "Maybe that's the important thing. Remembering where you came from. Who you were." He began fidgeting with the edge of the blanket, his face etched with a complex mix of emotions – defiance, doubt, and something akin to shame.

After so many years of hanging out together, she could immediately sense his turmoil churning beneath the surface. She reached out and placed a gentle hand on his arm. Her touch was a silent question, an invitation to share the burden he carried.

Daniel met her gaze, his dark blue eyes filled with a vulnerability she'd rarely witnessed. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Then finally, he spoke.

"I… D-Did… Did I ever tell you about my father?" he asked curiously.

Cordelia shook her head. "Not really… I only know that your mother was a farmer and raised you and your brother alone."

Daniel let out a harsh laugh, devoid of humor. "That she did," he said, his voice laced with bitterness. “Her only mistake was falling for the wrong man.”

Cordelia sat up straighter, "Tell me," she urged gently.

Daniel sighed. "Well, the man she fell in love with, who happens to be my father, decided to give us a better life. So, he joined the Order of the Grey Eagle."

Cordelia tilted her head, her brow furrowing in thought. "Order of the Grey Eagle?"

Daniel nodded, his jaw clenched tight. He took a deep breath, seemingly gathering his courage. "A faction of mercenaries serving under the king of Granaria. Not exactly knights in shining armor, mind you, they just handle the dirty work the king's army can't stomach." A shadow of disgust crossed his face. "We saw him less and less. Until one day, he just… vanished. No letters, no body. We buried his belongings and mourned him, thinking he was dead. My mother was left with nothing, forced to start over. My brother Rowan and I did everything we could to help."

He scratched his eye roughly, to contain the emotions he was going through. His gaze met hers, "As you know, I was taken away. But my mother and brother… They were left behind to pick up the pieces." He said, stopping for a few seconds to gather his thoughts.

"Well, Rowan," Daniel continued, "He couldn't just let it go. He needed closure. While I was away, he spent years digging into our father's disappearance. When I finally returned home after five years, he laid out the truth in front of me."

Cordelia leaned in closer curiously. "What happened to him?"

Daniel bitterly laughed. "He wasn't dead. He was very much alive, rose to the rank of Captain, even met another woman and had a new family. While we were struggling to survive, scraping by with whatever we could, that bastard built a life for himself. Respected, wealthy, living in a damn mansion with a noble wife and children."

Cordelia's heart ached at Daniel's words. “Oh Gods. That's awful. What did you do?”

Daniel shrugged, “Rowan wanted to confront him and I joined. I wanted answers. But when we reached the mansion, the first thing I saw was my step sisters.” Daniel sighed and slowly hit the bed with his fist, “Cordelia, they were just innocent little kids. I- I saw their eyes and I couldn't do it anymore. If we told them who we were, those kids might've lost their father, just like we did. Rowan accused me of getting cold feet but I just couldn't do it.”

Cordelia gently caressed his shoulder, sympathy all over her eyes.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Daniel stared down at his hands, "I never told this to anyone before," he admitted softly. “But I just… I needed you to understand."

Cordelia squeezed his shoulder gently, "I do understand," she said firmly. "No matter what life throws at us, no matter where we end up, we won't change. We'll face it together. I promise."

A hint of gratitude softened Daniel's features. He smiled weakly, his hand finding hers and resting on top. "Thank you," he murmured. "You know what's ironic? I always wanted a little sister. He gave me what I wanted in the end, even if it's not what I hoped for.”

Cordelia smiled, “Well, my father always said, siblings are the friends your parents force on you. Friends are the siblings you choose for yourself.”

Daniel chuckled softly. "True enough. And… Well, you're the closest damn thing to a sister to me.”

Cordelia got up from her seat, and gave him a warm embrace. Even if she didn't say it back, this was her way of telling him she felt the same way. After staying like that for a few seconds, Cordelia slowly got away.

"Alright, get well soon, sleepyhead. We have a ceremony to deal with, remember?"

Daniel groaned playfully. "Look, if it's alright with you, I'd rather postpone the ceremony until the boys are back.”

Cordelia raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”

Daniel shrugged, “You know… I always imagined all four of us getting Knighted at the same time. It feels weird to be knighted without Seb and Theo.”

Cordelia sighed, "Daniel, it's not entirely up to me. Madame Liana makes those decisions. They might be back next month, but I can't guarantee she'll agree to wait.”

“Alright then. I'll just play the sick and dying student role and ask her to wait for a bit. It'll grab her by the gut.” he grinned.

“Uh-huh” Cordelia said, deadpanning at him.

Just then, the infirmary door creaked open, revealing Master Lysanthir. He shuffled in slowly, his usual stoic demeanor replaced by a hint of awkwardness. His gaze darted between Cordelia and Daniel, lingering for a beat too long before finally landing on Cordelia.

"Ah, Faerondal," he began hesitantly. "I asked about your whereabouts and was informed you were here." He cleared his throat, his voice betraying a nervousness Cordelia wasn't accustomed to seeing. "Uhh, do you two… need a moment?”

Cordelia shook her head, surprised by his unusual behavior. "No, sir. We were just finishing our conversation." Curiosity sparked within her. What exactly was going on? Why did he seem so hesitant to speak in front of Daniel?

“Could you perhaps, follow me to my office, then?” he asked politely.

Cordelia got up and waved at Daniel, “I'll see you later.”

Daniel waved back and both of them left the infirmary. Cordelia fell into step beside him, her curiosity piqued. The usual stoicism that cloaked Master Lysanthir seemed to have wavered, replaced by a subtle tension that made Cordelia anxious. They walked in silence through the long, echoing halls of the academy. The flickering light from the tall candelabras cast dancing shadows on the stone walls, adding to the unsettling atmosphere. Cordelia couldn't help but steal a glance at Master Lysanthir, searching his face for any hint of his purpose. His expression remained unreadable, his jaw clenched tight as he focused on their destination. A knot of unease tightened in Cordelia's stomach as they continued their walk to his office.

When they finally reached Master Lysanthir's office, he opened the door for Cordelia. She stepped inside awkwardly, feeling the weight of anticipation. Master Lysanthir closed the door behind her and gestured silently for her to take a seat. She did so slowly, watching as he moved behind his desk.

He sat down and sifted through a stack of papers until he found the ones he was looking for and set them aside. Then he lifted his head to look at her.

“Sorry for dragging you like this.” He said. “And I suppose congratulations are in order.”

Cordelia nodded. “All thanks to you, sir. I don't think I could've managed without the potions you gave me.

Master Lysanthir seemed to sense her apprehension. A faint smile touched his lips. "No problem, although… That is the reason I brought you here."

Cordelia straightened in her chair, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"

"Listen," he began, his voice turning serious. "You're a Knight now. You can't rely on potions forever, not when there's war everywhere, not when duty forces you to summon your dragon. I won't always be here to provide them."

Cordelia nodded, a knot of worry tightening in her stomach. This was a conversation she'd been dreading. The very idea of venturing out without the safety net of the potions felt terrifying.

Master Lysanthir handed her the parchment papers, thick enough to form a small book. Every inch was covered with runes and notes from their examinations. Cordelia browsed through the detailed drawings and annotations, her eyes widening at the sheer volume of information.

Master Lysanthir leaned on the table, crossing his arms. “Nearly four years, and I finally have a hypothesis about your condition.”

Cordelia's heart pounded in her chest. This was it. The moment she'd been waiting for, yet fearing, for years. She met Master Lysanthir's gaze, "What is it?"

Master Lysanthir leaned closer. “You told me Milasadris served another before you, right?”

Cordelia nodded. “Yes. She told me that she was abandoned. She was wondering why she was taken away from her master’s service.”

A flicker of excitement lit up Master Lysanthir's eyes. He pulled up a chair and settled in front of her, his voice filled with a newfound enthusiasm. "Well, you see, the bond between a Dragon Knight and their dragon isn't a switch you can simply turn on and off. You can cut off your arm and never summon them again, but that doesn't mean your bond is cut off. The bond is for life, until your final breath. Perhaps then, your dragon might find a new master.”

Cordelia scratched her head, the implications of his words settling in. "So… How did she end up with me, then? How was she abandoned?"

“Not exactly abandoned, no.” Master Lysanthir explained, “Listen closely, Faerondal. I believe your dragon has never served in the traditional sense. Oh, she served, alright, but not in the way we understand the bond between a Knight and their dragon.”

Cordelia frowned, confusion clouding her features. "But sir, aren't dragons by nature… Well, a bit too proud to serve mortals?"

A smile played on Master Lysanthir's lips. "Precisely," he agreed, raising a finger for emphasis. "But what if the one they served wasn't a mere mortal, but a deity?"

Cordelia's eyes widened in sudden realization. "W-wait… you mean…"

Master Lysanthir leaned forward, "What if… Milasadris served a deity before you? Celestial Dragons have their own hierarchies, much like any other living creature. From the First Born, to the younger generations, they have a strict order. Even earthly dragons, despite their ferocious nature, have a social structure. Typically, it's the younger dragons, second or third generation, that are bound to mortals. Your dragon, however…" He trailed off, allowing the implication to hang in the air. "She might be one of the First Born, a celestial being who served a deity before fate brought her to you."

Cordelia slumped back in her chair, a wave of emotions washing over her. Shock, disbelief, and awe. This revelation explained so much – Milasadris' disdainful attitude, the near-fatal summoning rituals, the lack of any real connection between them.

"But… who did she serve?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Master Lysanthir straightened, “Well, Faerondal, that should be your mission to discover. As a mortal, your soul will never be enough to summon a higher celestial dragon. But if you somehow get the answers you need, I think it might help you in the long run.”

Cordelia groaned. “Oh great… aside from the training sessions, Milasadris doesn't even care to speak to me. She calls me a ‘bug’.”

Master Lysanthir chuckled. “Winning over a dragon, especially one like yours, is never going to be easy. But understanding her past might make things easier.”

Cordelia sighed, feeling the weight of this new mission. “I guess I have my work cut out for me.”

Master Lysanthir nodded. “Indeed you do. But remember, understanding and patience are your greatest tools. Use them well, and you might find the answers you seek—and the bond you need.”

Cordelia stood up, placing her fist over her heart and bowing respectfully to Master Lysanthir. "Thank you, sir. For your help, for all those years. I will never forget it."

Master Lysanthir nodded, a hint of a smile touching his lips. "You're welcome, Faerondal. Good luck.”